Movable pressure device



May 12, 1931. N, S, WELK 1,805,322

.MovABLn PRESSURE DEVICE Filed oct. e, 1925 NELSON s. wam mvENToR ATTORNEY Patented May 12, 1931 PATENT Nansen s. WELK, or ATHENS, OI-IIo, assIGNon To TI-IE MCBEE BINDER OO., OF Aremus, OHIO, e CORPORATION or OHIO TEOVABLE ERESSURE DEVICE .Application led October 6, 1925.

My invention relates to devices for producing pressure upon articles desired to be held under compression, and the particular adaptation of my invention, as l elect to here illustrate and describe it, is with regard to filing trays, and to the means for applying and releasing pressure to and against the filed records.

In this adaptation, my invention specifically relates to what is known as a follower plate which is slidably secured for longitudinal movement in the base of the tray, and, as above stated, is desi'ned to apply pressure to the records filed and to be locked in this position, and, at the same time, to be susceptible of easy manipulation in unlocking and releasing the pressure so that access may be had to the filed papers.

My invention consists of certain details of construction, hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a plan view of the locking means for my device;

Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 shows a transverse sectional View of the saine on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4l shows a longitudinal sectional View of my locking means On line i-#l of Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

the reference numeral 10 is used to indicate the base of a ling tray, in which is slidably mounted my follower plate 11. The follower plate is of a conventional nature and normally remains in a vertical position within the tray. rlfhe plate is adapted to be moved longitudinally of the tray upon suitable guide and locking mechanism to be described. The base 11 of the follower plate is rigidly mounted upon a suitable slide 11a which is of a substantially lll-shape and provided with outwardly extending parallel guide portions for engagement beneath two parallel and spaced strips, 12 and 13 in the base of the tray; and the follower plate 11 is hinged, as at 14, to this base, The numeral 15 indicates a sliding block, secured, as hereinafter set forth, to the base of the follower plate, this block riding within the space formed between the members 12 and 13 and being provided with Serial No. 60,787.

retaining plates 1G and 17, which extend under the members 12 and 13, respectively. These plates 16 and 17 are, in effect, slides which contact the under surface of the strips 12 and 13, as the block 15 is moved forwardly or rearwardly.

The numerals 18 and 19 indicate locking arms which are carried by the block and spaced parallel from the sliding plates 16 and 17, and are designed to engage the upper surface of the members 12 and 13. The locking arms 18 and 19 extend from the forward part of the blocl: 15, rearwardlyv to about the center of the block. rlhe distance between the locking arms 18 and 19 and the sliding platgs 1G and 17, is slightly greater than the thickness of the members 12 and 13.

The block 15 is secured to the base of the follower plate, by means of the leaf-spring 20, which is bowed upwardly, as is clearly' shown in Figs. 2 and 4, so that normally the block 15 is held on a slight angle, the rear ends of the locking plates 13 and 19 engaging the upper' surface of the members 12 and 13, respectively, and the forward upper ends of the sliding plates 16 and 17 engaging the under surface of the members 12 and 13, respectively.

Means for securing the follower plate to the sliding block 15 in such manner that the follower plate may be locked in a vertical position or released from this locked position and inclined rearwardly, as shown, and such means are essential for the successful working of the follower plate. As shown, this means consists of l.-shaped levers 22 pivotally mounted to the block 15, and of such size as to cause their inner ends to abut the plate 11 and hold it in a vertical position. These levers 22 are connected to the plate 11 by the links 23 (each loosely secured to both the lever and the plate), the construction being such that when the plate is in a vertical position the links 23 are in alinement wit-h that part of the L-shaped lever which is pivotally secured to the block 15, and this arrangement functions to lock the plate in its vertical position. When it is desired to tilt the plate, the levers 22 are moved upwardly upon their pivotal mountings, the

on an incline rear 'ardly, the lower rear corners of the locking plates 1S and 19 bi ing hrmly against the upper surface of Lne members 12 and 13. As this is brought about by the tension of the leatspring 20, and as the lower sliding ila-tes 16 and 1T are spaced parallel from their res )ective l-ockine ilates and also L'J 7 are below the under surface of the members 12 and 155 1t is obvious. the u )oer forward 7 l corners of the sliding plates 1G and 17 will be engaging the lower surface of their respective members 12 and 13. llllien the lower rear corners of the locking` plates 18 and 19 are engaging the upper surfaces of their respeotive members 12 and 13, it is also obvious.

these corners as hereinhefore described, will be biting in to the upper surfaces of the members 12 and 13, by reason of the wedged position produced by u. tilting of the block 15, and the block l5 is h nd in this position by 3. the tension of the spring Q0.

The follower plate may be pushed forwardly at any time, and the forward movement will tend to straighten out the spring and permit the block to slide in its mounting. The application of pressure against the forward part of the plate 11 will but tend to cause the corners of the locking,- plates 18 and 19 to bite into the upper sinfaces of their respective members 12 and 13, more firmly.

rlhe numeral 21 indicates a ever adapted to be engaged by the thumb 'the operator for producing` a tilting ell'ect on the block against the tension of the spring` 20, for bringing,- the block to a substantially vertical position, which will unlock the locking means and permit the block to slide to any position desired by the operator, for positioning` the follower plate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent of the United States is:

l. A movable pressure device comprising a block, guide members adapted to be mounted in the base of a tra-y, locking members carried by said block and adapted to enaaee above and below said guide inembrs, a follower plate, means for mounting said fol lower plate in slidable relation to said guide members, a leaf-spring connecting the block to the follower plate adapted to hold said block at an angle fith respect thereto, and means to move the block to a position substantially parallel to the follower plate.

2. A locking device for pressure-producing devlces for use in a tray, comprising, a slideway including spaced parallel track members secured in the base of a tray, a follower plate,

a base for said follower plate adapted to enl gagle Said track members, a block having slides to s idably engage tne track members, a spring surfaces of the track plates, arms on said block to ride on the upper surfaces of said track plates, a follower plate, means for slidably mount-ing;` said follower plate on said track plates, spring tension means c(.Jnueeting` the block to 'the follow plate and normally holding' the block in'tilted and locked position, and means operable against the tension means for moving the block from its tilted position.

1l. A movable pressure device, comprisingl a follower plate, track members adapted to be mounted in the base of a tray, means for lidably mounting' said follower plate on aid track member locking?,` means for said follower plate mou. ted on said track mema si ing device connecting,` said follower .te and said locking means, said device iapted to move said l cking means into active engagement with said track members.

5. j; movable pressure device, comprising,` track members adapted to be mounted in the base of a tray, a follower plate, means for mounting said plate for movement along said tracks, locking means slit ably mounted upon the track members, means flexibly connecting said locking` means to said mounting meair said flexible means adapted to move the locking,r means at an angle with respect to the track members, and means for movingsaid locking` Aieans to a. position parallel with said track members.

NnLsoN s. wenn. 

